The early wins, hard lessons and visible growth echo a blueprint Rossi helped establish during his previous run with the program.
“We told the kids early on it was baby steps,” Rossi said. “Now they’re big-girl steps.”
Those steps were evident Saturday even in a 52-33 defeat against Ross, a veteran program that has become a measuring stick in the Southwestern Buckeye League.
After Ross jumped out early, the Wildcats responded by winning the second quarter and cutting the deficit to one at halftime. The second half, Rossi said, exposed areas his group — which only has two seniors — is still learning to manage.
“We went four or five minutes without getting anything offensively,” Rossi said. “That’s eight, nine, 10 possessions. Against good teams like Ross, you can’t have those blank spells.”
Still, Franklin stayed engaged defensively and fought through every possession. Rossi credited his players for matching Ross’ poise and physicality, particularly against one of the league’s toughest individual matchups.
“That kid is a beast,” Rossi said of Ross standout Carmen Bosse, a Thomas More commit. “She’s a matchup problem for everybody in our league.”
Rossi’s return to Franklin brings a track record that few in the area can match. He coached the Wildcats from 2018 through 2022, guiding the program to a Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division title in 2019, back-to-back district championships in 2018 and 2019, and a regional runner-up finish in 2019.
In 25 years as a girls basketball coach in Southwest Ohio, Rossi has earned more than 300 career victories.
That experience shapes his approach now, as Franklin works through a demanding early schedule and a 3-4 start. The Wildcats can match last year’s win total at 4-16 with one more victory.
“My job’s a teaching coach,” Rossi said. “Make sure we’re putting a really good product out there that the community can be proud of.”
Progress is also showing across the program. Franklin’s junior varsity team recently earned an overtime win against Ross, something Rossi views as a key building block.
“We’ve all got to find ways to win,” he said. “It’s not just going to snap your fingers.”
With 19 players in the program, Rossi and his staff have made difficult early decisions, including moving players between varsity and JV. Rossi said the way those decisions have been handled reflects growth beyond the box score.
“When kids 15, 16, 17 years old accept that, that shows character,” he said. “That shows maturity.”
Practices remain purposeful and efficient, especially during stretches with multiple Monday games. Rossi leans on a disciplined routine — focused scouting, shooting and concise workouts — while keeping the long view in mind.
“It’s one day at a time,” Rossi said. “Just trying to get a little bit better than we were the day before.”
That philosophy helped Franklin reach championship heights before, and Rossi believes it will again. The Wildcats may still be shaping this season’s identity, but under his guidance, the steps are steady, intentional and unmistakably forward.
“I hate losing more than I like winning,” Rossi said. “But this thing takes time.”
For Franklin, the path is familiar — and the climb has already begun.
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